Bill > H0283

This bill amends Vermont's existing law regarding the regulation of public waters by requiring the Secretary of Natural Resources to delegate authority to regulate water use to a municipality under specific conditions. The delegation is mandatory when a municipality that is adjacent to or contains a body of water requests the authority specifically to restrict or prohibit wake boats (boats designed to create large wakes for recreational activities like wakeboarding) in that water body, and the municipality formally accepts the delegation by creating or amending a local bylaw or ordinance to regulate the water. The bill modifies the existing language from permissive ("may delegate") to mandatory ("shall delegate"), indicating a clear expectation that delegation will occur when the conditions are met. Additionally, the bill specifies that any appeals from municipal regulations will be heard by the Environmental Division, and the Secretary retains the ability to terminate the delegation with six months' notice. The effective date of the act is immediate upon passage, allowing municipalities to quickly exercise this new regulatory authority over local waters.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/H.283